Careers Slideshow: Finding Talent Via Social Networks

By Ericka Chickowski |
Posted 12-09-2009

Finding Talent Via Social Networks

A recent report from Challenger, Gray and Christmas says social networking services such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are the hottest tool in the job seeker's arsenal. Here are the recruiting firm's top tips for making the most out of social networks, along with some relevant statistics on social net usage.

Build your network.

Add as many connections from personal and professional life as possible to your social networking profile.

Build your brand.

Use social networking to express your personality and your professional knowledge.

Advertise your status.

Make it clear that you are on the market.

Get Backup.

Use LinkedIn's recommendation features to catch the eye of recruiters trolling the site.

Be a Joiner.

Join or start groups based on your professional interests to expand your network.

Be Careful.

Think before you tweet: Control your image, and don't be a show-off or a hothead.

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19% of Internet users share personal and business updates on social networking sites, says the Pew Internet & American Life Project. That's up eight points from earlier this year.

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80% of companies use or plan to use social networking sites to fill vacant positions, says a survey conducted by Jobvite.

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LinkedIn is the most popular site among employers, with 95% of companies using it, says Jobvite.

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59% of recruiters use Facebook, up from 36% in 2008, says Jobvite.

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42% of recruiters use Twitter, says Jobvite.

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35% of recruiters have eliminated applicants due to what they found on theirs social networking pages, says Careerbuilder.